Howard Alan Picks Up Sugarloaf
HAE/ACE will be running a few of the Sugarloaf shows under their umbrella. Check below to see which shows are accepting applications. All application deadlines are 3 days prior to the show and you can apply at Zapplication.
Oaks Springtime Art and Craft Festival
Oaks, PA
September 10-12, 2021
Gaithersburg Springtime Art and Craft Festival
Gaithersburg, MD
September 24-26, 2021
Oaks Holiday Art and Craft Festival
Oaks, PA
November 5-6, 2021
Edison Holiday Art and Craft Festival (Indoor)
Edison, NJ
November 12-14, 2021
Gaithersburg Holiday Art and Craft Festival
Gaithersburg, MD
November 19-21, 2021
One falls, another rescues
“Artists started reaching out to us to tell us about what happened to them with the Sugarloaf producers,” recalls Howard Alan Events (HAE) Art Show Director Elaine Laurent. “Like us, the Sugarloaf producers have been around for decades, and their shows have been a tradition for a generation of artisans,” Laurent continues. “They declared bankruptcy, ceased contact with the artists and did not offer refunds.”
“It was a shock to everyone,” says Alan. “These shows are highly respected, and to lose them is hard enough to digest, but to do that to the artists and crafters is unthinkable.” While he and the team were doing all they could to stay afloat, they also started taking the requests from the Sugarloaf artists seriously.
“We kept hearing ‘We wish you guys could take over these shows; it would be a shame if they just went away.’ We knew that even though we didn’t have a clue when shows would start back up, they would eventually return, and those artists depend upon the Sugarloaf shows for their livelihood.”
How can we help
As the team worked for months to bring the Sugarloaf shows under the HAE/ACE banner, they used the advice and suggestions of their own artists and crafters who also participated in Sugarloaf festivals to provide the best transition possible for everyone.
Among those suggestions were bringing longtime Sugarloaf show coordinators, Greg “Stoney” Stone and Lorrie Stately, into the fold. Other former Sugarloaf team members were also invited to continue their roles under the HAE/ACE banner.
Additionally, HAE agreed that if any artists had lost money from last year’s canceled Sugarloaf shows, they would be eligible for a $50 - $100 credit towards a booth for each venue in which they had previously paid.
“We even pulled the old blueprints for the shows, so we can have them laid out in a familiar way,” says Laurent. “And while we have very different levels of standards for our juried shows, it is our intent to work tirelessly with the Sugarloaf artists and crafters to improve the quality of the festivals. We have been so grateful for the welcoming nature of the artists and crafters so far. We want to get to know our Sugarloaf family, have them get to know us, and assure them that we plan on being here for them for a long time.”